It's like doing hair in a french plait.
Tie three large bulbs together and lay them in front of you as pictured. I find it easier when the stalks are still green but they must have been dried in the sun for at least 3 or 4 days so the plait doesn't rot.
Next find a bulb which sort of snugly fits in the middle, lay it's stalk on the middle stalk.
Snuggle the next bulb in on the left, you will plait it's stalk and the left stalk over the middle ones. They then become the left stalks and the previous left ones are now in the middle.
Snuggle one in on the right and cross the two right stalks over the middle ones as before.
Find another one to snuggle in the middle and repeat the process to make the plait as long as you like. I use smaller and smaller bulbs as I move up.
When you have added as many garlic as you want plait the stalks and tie the top. It is now ready to hang and use.
Many people plait their garlic, feel free to link to this post. I would hope that any learning or perfecting their technique from me would respect that I sell my original garlic plaits locally (motueka and surrounds) to help provide for my family.
Thats so fantastic....I'm so sorry now I didn't plant garlic last year so I could do this.....xx
ReplyDeleteThank you Gilly. I'll be having a go at garlic plaiting in the next few days. I admire your plait everytime I see it (I have hung it inside at the back of the house where I fancy it is the coolest.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this...never seen it done so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteBookmarking this for next year!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the clear instructions on how to plait garlic. Mine plait doesn't look as good as yours but...
ReplyDeleteHave put a link on my blog and hope that's ok with you.
Again many thanks.
Excellent I have been trying to plait my garlic for the last hour. Your method is great, will try it with my onions.
ReplyDeletethats a nice plait ive been wanting to make one every year. thanks for taking the time to share your expertize.
ReplyDeleteI was given stalks of garlic at Christmas from my friends in HB. I am so glad I thought to look online for instructions on plaiting it. Thank you Gilly, what a clever girl you are. I shall have fun now.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Ruth from Sunny Gisborne
This was soooo good! I have just finished plaiting up two strings of my garlic - the photos and clear instructions were just brilliant. Thanks so much :)
ReplyDeletethanks for your pix of the garlic - i am off to plait up about 100 bulbs tight now
ReplyDeleteHey thanks for the clear info!
ReplyDeleteBut mine sure doesn't look like yours.
I think the left/right side of my brain shuts down.
:)
NigelGnome from Whakatane
Much better looking then mine; I'll try your way next time (I made mine up as I went along).
ReplyDeleteI have found that the garlic lasts about half a year before it dries up too much to be usable (I am in Israel - fresh garlic season is spring and the summer is quite dry). Do you have any suggestions how to make it last longer.
I suppose it's alot hotter over there and your varities are probably slightly different to ours. If it's not lasting in a plait in a cool airy place, you could try to pickle some, that's what my Mum does. Or dry it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for getting in touch.
While i was living in Spain (away from the costas) my Spanish neighbours would plait the garlic just as you have shown,i would always have one hanging in the storeroom and my non spanish visitors would always comment on how lovely it was. I found that giving one as a gift was really appreciated. Everyone loved them. Now,i am living in Norway and planning on selling them as a way of supplementing my income. Thanks for the nice presentation on 'how to plait garlic'.
ReplyDeleteIan.
Thank you so much. I tried to plait my garlic last year, and it was embarrassingly bad and didn't do justice to my first allotment grown garlic. Your step my step instructions with photos helped me look less inept, and this year's garlic was bigger too!
ReplyDeleteI've just plaited some of my garlic. Much better doing it your way. Thanks for showing how it's done. What is the best way to keep garlic bearing in mine I live in Enland?
ReplyDeleteReally clear instructions and great pictures. Just done my first allotment garlic! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome post - I've planted garlic this year and now I can't wait to get plaiting!
ReplyDeleteFound you on Kiwi Mummy Blogs - think I'll be a regular here as I'm just starting up my own garden.
Thanks!
Ooo! I've got garlic drying off in my greenhouse right now! I think they're a bit dry for this, but gotta have a go - thank you for sharing this technique, and so clearly.
ReplyDeleteReally useful post - thank you. Have tried my own plait as we've grown our own garlic for the first time this year. No where near as neat a yours, but makes me happy. :)
ReplyDeletefantastic ....... thank you!............any chance you can post a pic of how to tie the end of the plait?
ReplyDeleteThanks Gillybean. I've just plaited all my best garlic from this years harvest and they look great!!
ReplyDeleteI'm in Victoria, Australia.
Thank you for putting this up! I used your technique last season but I found a little tip to pimp your lovely plaits. When you cross the two starting cloves wrap one a full revolution around the stem of the other head (towards the bulb)then lay your center head. This removes the need for the string :-) Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteOooh! Just putting garlic in - I can't wait for it to grow so I can try this. Thanks *so much* for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent instructions, I always use your guide, thanks very much for posting.
ReplyDeleteKeith
Thanks for this post! Mine look pretty wonky but they'll still do the trick. Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteOh! wow that's amazing!! thanks for this easy tip!!
ReplyDelete